Open Mike

Making America better...one dime at a time

Contrary to the belief of some, the staff at the Daily Sun News is working for a better America.

Some of the staff here at the Daily Sun News had nothing better to do with our money, so we decided one day to start what we call the "A Better America Campaign."

The first step in our better America campaign is to stop saying those bad words that always pop up at the wrong times. There are seven of us taking part in the rehabilitation program, others on the staff drop their dime in every now and then. How it works is that for every cuss word said, a dime is deposited into a jar. We started this project on Oct. 19 and one month later there was magically $30-plus in the jar, mostly pennies. Our cuss jar will be officially closed on Dec. 19, at which time there will be a drawing of some sorts to see who receives the money. It will be a nice Christmas pot of sorts for the lucky winner with the foul mouth.

Since starting the project we have gotten a lot better at biting our lip, but every now and then a dirty little word slips out and we have to dip into our pockets.

The cuss jar has served its purpose for us here. We have learned to hold our tongues a bit and in the process act a bit more professional. However, I do have to admit one of the best dollars I ever spent was in the cuss jar. I was mad one day at a situation, so I grabbed my dollar bill, deposited it in the jar and let loose a tirade of cuss words that would put the great Richard Pryor to shame. It felt good to let loose, sort of my own little form of therapy.

It's too bad that cuss jars can't be everywhere. Half the reason we started the "A Better America Campaign" was to bring back the traditional values we all grew up with (I should be a politician). Remember back when many of us were growing up. Remember what happened when we back-talked our elders? We would be picking ourselves up after being knocked across the room for not showing the proper respect.

Remember when children used to have something to be afraid of in school, mainly receiving a hack from the principal. The atmosphere changed at schools when that threat no longer loomed over students' heads.

Television is another area of horror today. I can remember as a child how aghast I was when a cuss word was said on the show "Mash" for the first time. That was a big deal, hearing those words. Today, cuss words are practically second nature on television shows filled with scantily clad women.

I write the "Over the Shoulder" piece that appears in the newspaper every Friday. And I am always amazed at how things were years ago. Those times don't seem so bad. They seem like times when we had a better America. Those times seem like inviting times that I for one would have liked to live in.

Many say the presidential election this year was decided on the issues of morals and values of each of the candidates. I just want to assure the community that while the world may be filled with junkies and alcoholics, the staff (most of them) is still doing their best to ensure the community has a better America for the future-one dime at a time.